Stone gathering machine



Dec. 17, 1957 Filed July 19," 1954 OPERA mva 0 /750710 Fig.

W. HIER STONE GATHERING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O .i TRANSPORT/N6 36 40DIRECT/0N Melvin W. Hier JNVENTOR.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1954 Wm WM R m m m M, a .n I V mm a M wy 9w m v m mm 2. 1| l Hm 0 Wm o 0 mm o w an .ww r v E \n mm m mm w NM NM.v Ms E E F r/IV m H N l N wm mm mm E wk wk mm mm vm wm W C STONEGATHERING MACHDJE Melvin W. Hier, Shevlin, Minn.

Application July 19, 1954, Serial No. 444,190

2 Claims. (Cl. 171-63) This invention relates to a stone gatheringmachine and more specifically provides a machine for attachment to atractor or other towing vehicle having a power take-off for moving themachine in an operating direction and operating the component partsthereof.

An object of this invention is to provide a stone gathering machinewhich is particularly adapted to traverse a field having stones disposedthereon for arranging the stones in orderly rows for easier loading.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stone gathering machineadapted to traverse a relatively wide span of a field and to gatherstones in said span and arrange the stones in a row centrally of thespan.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a stone gatheringmachine which is provided with novel supporting wheels so that themachine may be moved in an operating direction for gathering the stonesand also move in a direction at right angles to the operating directionfor transporting the machine as desired.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a stonegathering machine adapted to be towed and driven by a farm vehicle suchas a tractor wherein the driving means includes a protector forprevention of damage to the driving means by the rocks that are beinggathered.

Still another feature of this invention is to provide a stone gatheringmachine as set forth in the preceding objects which is simple instructure, easy to use, efficient in operation, well adapted for itsintended purposes, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture andmaintain.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the ac- ;companying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the stone gathering machine of thepresent invention with portions of the drive means being broken away;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the stone gathering machineshowing the relationship of the supporting wheels and the rollers anddriving means; and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view looking from the left side of Figure2 showing the construction of the interconnecting means between thedrive shafts and the rollers.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that thenumeral generally designates the stone gathering machine of the presentinvention. The stone gathering machine includes a frame having spacedparallel horizontal members or frame elements 12, diverging members 14interconnecting the ends of the horizontal members 12, a centrallydisposed tongue 16 secured to the undersurface of the horizontal members12 and projecting forwardly therebeyond and a pair of diverging braces18 secured to the tongue 16 and extending rearwardly in divergingrelation to the rearmost horizontal member 12. At the juncture betweenthe forward horizontal member 12 and each of the diverging members 14 ispro- United States Patent 0 vided a depending bracket member 20 havingsuitable brace members 22 thereon for a purpose described here inafter.The brace members 22 extend between the depending member 20 and therespective horizontal member 12 and diverging member 14 thereby rigidlysecuring the depending member 20 to the frame. Adjacent the centralportion of the tongue 16 and just behind the intersection of the tongue16 and the forward horizontal member 12 is provided a pair of pivot pins24 for pivotally supporting a pair of elongated rearwardly extendingmembers 26. The rearmost end of each of the members 26 is curvedoutwardly as indicated by the numeral 28 and then extends downwardly asindicated by the numeral 30 and as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Thedownwardly extending portions 30 of the rearwardly extending members 26are substantially parallel to the depending members 20 and terminate ata point equal distance from the horizontal members 12 and the divergingmembers 14. Secured centrally of the rearmost horizontal member 12 is apair of depending brackets 32 having inturned ends 34 for positioningunder the rearwardly extending members 26 thereby supporting the members26 and the depending portions 30 thereof and limiting the downwardswinging movement thereof but permitting upward pivotal movement of thedepending portions 30 about pivot pins 24 when desired, as describedhereinafter.

Secured to each of the diverging members 14 adjacent its connection withthe horizontal member 12 is a vertically disposed socket 36 for slidablyand pivotally receiving an elongated rod 38 having a ground engagingwheel 40 rotatably supported at its lower end. A setscrew 42 is providedfor vertically adjusting the rod 38 in the socket 36 wherein the groundengaging wheel 40 may be adjusted in relation to the frame. Also, atubular socket 44 is provided on one side of the tongue 16 for slidablyreceiving and pivotally receiving a rod 46 having a U- shaped lower end48 for rotatably receiving a ground engaging wheel 50 wherein the rod 46may be vertically adjustable by manipulation of the setscrews 52 on thecollars 54.

As seen in Figure l, a suitable hitching member 56 is pivotally securedto the forward end of the tongue 16 by a pivot bolt 58 and a powertake-off shaft 60 may be secured to the power take-off of a towingtractor (not shown) and the power shaft 16 is connected to a shaft 62through a universal connection 64. A bearing block 66 is positioned onthe upper surface of the forward horizontal member 12 for supporting theshaft 62 in correct relation to the horizontal members 12. A geartransfer box 68 is supported on the upper surface of the rear portion ofthe tongue 16 and a bevel gear 70 is positioned on the inner end of theshaft 62 and an elongated transverse shaft 72 passes through the gearbox 68 and includes a bevel gear 74 secured thereon in meshingengagement with the bevel gear 70 wherein the shaft 72 will be driven bythe shafts 60 and 62. The transverse shaft 72 is journaled in bearingblocks 76 mounted on the diverging braces 18. A pair of diverging shafts78 are provided with one end of each shaft 78 being connected to thetransverse shaft 72 by a suitable universal connection 80. A hearingblock 82 is attached to a portion of the upper surface of the member 18for supporting the shaft 78 at one end thereof and a bearing block 84 ispositioned adjacent the outer end thereof and formed as an upwardextension from the junction of the diverging members 14 and thetransverse horizontal member 12 wherein the shafts 78 are supported indiverging relation and each of the shafts 78 is provided with a doubleV-belt pulley 86 on the outer end thereof.

Referring now specifically to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that thelower end of each of the depending portions of the rearwardly extendingmembers 26 terrnihate in a bearing lug 88 and the lower end of thedepending member 20 is also provided with a bearing aperture forreceiving a projecting rod 90 on each end of a square roller 92. Adouble V-belt pulley 94 is positioned on the outer end of each of therollers 92 in alignment with the V-belt pulleys 86 and suitable V-belts96 encircle the pulleys 86 and 94 for driving the rollers 92 through theshafts 60, 62, gear box 68, shaft 72 and shafts 78.

Referring specifically to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the rod38 mounting the wheel 40 on one end of the frame is provided with abracket 98 having a connecting link 100 pivotally secured thereto andpivotally attached to a tongue 102 which is secured on the upstandingmember 20 by pivot lug 104. The tongue 102 is provided for transportingthe machine and retains the wheel 40 in correct relation for suchmovement. A shield plate 106 is provided at each end of the forwardtransverse member 12 adjacent the lower end thereof for shielding andprotecting the V-belts 96 and the V-belt pulley 94 from damage from therocks 108 thereby providing a relatively long life for the device.

In operation, the machine 10 is transported by lowering all of thewheels 40 and 50 in an obvious manner wherein all of the rollers 92 willbe spaced vertically above the supporting surface. When the machine ismoved to the field from which disbursed stones are desired to begathered into rows for easier loading, the tractor or towing vehicle ishooked to the hitch 56 and the power takeoff connected to the powershaft 60 in an obvious manner and the wheels 40 and 50 are adjusted tobring the rollers 92 to a position just above the surface of the field.

As the machine 10 is pulled in its operating direction by use of thehitch 56 and tongue 16, the rollers 92 rotate in the opposite directionfrom the wheels 40 and 50 wherein rocks 108 will be engaged and urgedforwardly and partially lifted by the square rollers 92 wherein thedivergent position of the rollers 92 and the spacing of the adjacentends will position the rocks 108 in a neat row substantially asillustrated in Figure 1. Due to the pivotal mounting of the rearwardlyextending members 26, the rollers 92 may move upwardly over the contourof the ground when it becomes necessary. Further, the V-belts 96 permitsome slippage of the rollers 92 wherein the rollers 92 may be utilizedon uneven ground surfaces. Obviously, the device may be constructed ofreadily obtainable materials thereby enhancing the economic feasibilityof the same.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A machine for gathering stones comprising a transversely elongatedframe, support wheels mounted on said frame, means mounted on said framefor attaching to a towing vehicle, said frame including a frame elementdisposed transversely of the line of draft, a pair of forwardlydiverging, elongated gathering elements rotatably mounted on said frameand being disposed closely adjacent the ground surface for engagingstones lying on the ground surface, the inner ends of said elementsbeing disposed in spaced relation thereby forming a discharge area forthe gathered stones, drive means on said frame and connected with saidgathering elements for rotating said elements whereby stones engaged bythe elements will be urged inwardly towards the discharge area, adepending rigid bracket on each end of said frame element rotatablysupporting the outer ends of the gathering elements, a pair ofrearwardly and downwardly extending members pivotally mounted adjacentthe mid-point of the transverse frame for swinging movement in avertical plane, the inner ends of said gathering elements beingrotatably supported on the rearmost ends of the rearwardly extendingmembers, the pivotal connection supporting the forward ends of therearwardly extending members from the frame being disposed in a verticalplane generally parallel with the connection between the dependingbrackets and the outer ends of the gathering elements and generallyparallel with the transverse frame element whereby the inner ends of therollers will move arcuately about a transverse axis parallel to thetransverse frame element.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support wheels are verticallyadjustably mounted on said frame for elevating the frame, and limitmeans on said frame and extending in underlying relation to therearwardly extending members for limiting the downward swinging movementthereof whereby elevation of the frame will raise the gathering elementsaway from the ground surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,380,936 Steffan June 7, 1921 2,481,995 Godley Sept. 13, 1949 2,530,668Tallman Nov. 21, 1950 2,618,111 Egstad Nov. 18, 1952 2,662,362 BeasleyDec. 15, 1953 2,681,543 Richey June 22, 1954

